


Three's A Crowd (and a party)

by xFrost



Category: Pocket Monsters: Sword & Shield | Pokemon Sword & Shield Versions
Genre: Getting Together, M/M, Mutual Pining, Pining
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-27
Updated: 2020-04-27
Packaged: 2021-03-02 03:55:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,403
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23868622
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xFrost/pseuds/xFrost
Summary: All’s glitter and gold until you’re crushing on Galar’s two hottest bachelors (who for some reason, haven’t hooked up themselves yet).
Relationships: Dande | Leon/Kibana | Raihan/Nezu | Piers
Comments: 3
Kudos: 45





	Three's A Crowd (and a party)

**Author's Note:**

> ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯ lol

When you’ve had a funk since your voice first cracked, you learn how to deal with it. Y’know, grow up as a depressed bastard. Piers doesn’t expect much, at most the worst, but not wanting anything helps with not asking for anything. Don’t ask for new strings when Marnie needs new shoes. Don’t expect anyone to come and help him in the middle of the Wild Area. Don’t expect training a freshly evolved Obstagoon will be so easy. Don’t expect that he can get in the championships league so soon. Don’t expect Rose to actually help Spikemuth. Don’t expect more challengers when his whole setup’s a shitshow. Piers chides himself when he does have the gall to feel down from absent miracles.

But pearly white fangs flash back at him. The praise feels like honey, it’s smooth, it’s sweet, it sticks to him way longer than he should let it.

One half of him is saying that the guardian of The Vault knows how to tell brass from gold.  _ He is right. Give yourself some credit. You were great. You’ve got good strategy and fared pretty well.  _ The other part of him yells that he couldn’t possibly compare to the  _ dragon tamer, _ it was only a matter of time before that skyscraper crushed his team. It’s a fluke, just like last year when he snags himself 2 nd place, 7 th gym leader, like a bur. Don’t expect anything more. It’s just notable that a Zizagoon bastard like him has crawled into the dragon’s den. Whatever. He’s only here to keep the seat warm long enough for Marnie to turn it into a throne. She’s great. Of course, it’s pretty rough starting out, especially with the new Champion being as indomitable as the last one, but he’s here to help out with that. Piers crosses his fingers and just hopes that the ex-champ doesn’t go out setting his own gym.

“Haven’t talked much with the guy, but I reckon’ he’s decent.” Piers tells the new generation, although Hop doesn’t need him to say it. He hasn’t battled Leon either. Leon was already champion when Piers went through his gym challenge, and nobody was ever close to touching him with that dragon that hovered close behind. Hadn’t had the lucky draw for an exhibition match either, but that’s probably just the politics of not-dynamaxing. Not to mention Piers always skipped out on some shitty galas and gatherings organized by Rose. Almost zero interaction there, whoops. But Piers can respect Leon. The guy’s brimming with an intense passion for battling, a living David that’s graced the whole of Galar (unlike himself). So, for once, Piers takes the courtesy to show up to the refurbished Rose Tower.

Motherfucker rolls out in a cravat and tight ass jodhpurs at the opening. Classy, just the way Piers hates it, but sexy enough that he just bites the inside of his cheek and settles on  ~~ staring ~~ glaring. He doesn’t want to deal with this. He takes a step back, ready to blow the joint 2 minutes in, but a large hand wraps around his shoulder and has him take two steps forward. Piers looks back. It’s Raihan, in a black shirt, dark blue suit, and a traffic cone for a tie. Okay. Fine, he’ll survive.

They chat. Leon, in a pleasant surprise, keeps the Battle Tower spiel to a minimum and directs most of the conversation to regular small talk. Piers mumbles something about his retirement and album work. Raihan still hasn’t let go of their last match, raving about his team and strategies. It’s sorta cute, the way Raihan’s hands twitch by the side of his hip and how he tries to keep his chill. Piers bets Leon hasn’t even so much as glanced at their battle and doesn’t give half a shit about it. What Piers can see though is that he gives a shit about Raihan. He can see it in the way his face falls, and how those gold eyes trail the dragon tamer when he wraps his arm around Piers in midst of a friendly jab.

Leon's gaze looks a little confused, a little naive, and pretty intense. It's like he doesn't know what to do in a fight that doesn’t have him plow through with hard strategy and tactics in a fiery blaze. 

Piers guesses that’s just the case. Wow. They have it bad. 

Leon’s back to smiling when they make eye contact. Piers just as quickly breaks it. Shit. He’s really in the Luxray’s den, ain’t he. “S’ time fer me to head out,” he says. Piers knows his place well enough. Knows that it better not be by Raihan's side. He pats off Raihan's hand from his shoulder, “I’ve fliched enough champagne from ‘ere and outta take Marnie home.”

He looks over to her. She’s trying her best to flirt with Gloria. Her poker face ain't getting her anywhere though. Sorry baby, big bro’s gotta run from the ex-champ for a hot minute to a whole ass forever.

“Aw, really?” Raihan says. He looks Piers over. “Y’know, I’d figure you’d be a lot pinker.”

“Ha. Be glad I’m givin’ you both an out fer yer wallets now. Unless Leon wants me to break his bank first day.” He pointedly raises his eyebrow.

The man in question laughs. “I’ve got enough money to run a den full of Snorlax.” Go figure, champion of ten years.

Piers begins to make his way out of their little circle when Raihan tugs on the hem of his sleeve.

“Still up for that rematch?”

“I- sure. Whenever, just give me a ‘eads up.”

Leon interjects, for some Arceus dammed reason. “Sounds like it’ll be something I’d like to see. The Battle Tower’s a call away.” Piers can't tell if he said that out of courtesy of being a sheer battle maniac who's unable to stay away from the promise of a good bout. He sends Piers off with that trademark smile and smolder. Hm.  _ Color him horny and scared _ . But Piers knows his place.

* * *

They don’t end up battling there, thank fuck. Wyndon’s too off to the side for a simple one-on-one battle. They’re at Raihan’s gym instead. It’s bigger, cleaner, and more private than Spikemuth. Both of them would wound up garnering a crowd anywhere else, but Hammerlocke’s trainer’s got the mighty discipline to stay hush, to which, he can’t say that about their leader. Piers also gets to avoid cleaning up the mess Raihan’ll bring in with those sandstorms.

Showtime.

Piers’s got the bad habit about singing his strategies, but Raihan has a rhythm to his style that Piers can tap to. Still, Raihan’s singles team hit  _ hard _ , and his own team wears down thin quickly. But that’s fine, dark types come with tricks, not power. Piers manages to sneak in a toxic under Flygon’s sandstorm, and his Skunktank gives it a good Suckerpunch before he goes down from its Earthquakes. A well-timed Obstruct from his Obstagoon and Raihan’s down to his last pokemon, Duraludon. No dynamaxing.

His Obstagoon moves in first with a Throat Chop, only for Duraludon to slam its entire body against him. Body Press is absolutely  _ brutal  _ on it, but Obstagoon still stands, and Raihan has played right into Pier’s hands.

“Counter!” The payback is twice as bad onto the steel dragon, and with that wall of extra health gone, Duraludon faints.

Piers lets go of the breath he was holding and sinks down his mic stand. His head hangs back, gasping. Wait. In a jolt he looks back at Raihan across him. He just beat Raihan. Raihan, the second- well now third- best trainer in the region. Raihan, the master of storms, guardian of the vault, who has lost every year to Leon but not to anyone else-- the man who’s a champion in his own right. 

“You won.” Raihan, like always when he loses, looks nonchalant; his hands behind his head with a lax expression, as if he wasn’t growling at the field mere minutes ago and like Piers isn’t having an existential crises again. He calls back his fainted pokemon and crosses through the field in a slow saunter that feels like  _ forever _ . Raihan extends a hand to Piers. “Good show.” Piers takes his hand, and when he does, Raihan’s wild smile and the electric blue of his eyes spring back to life.

Oh.

This isn’t over.

**Author's Note:**

> started back in december, who knows when I finish.  
> this is the first piece of fiction i've ever written so much for. hell, it's the first fanfic i've ever written. this might be slow burn but i'm also an impatient little fuck so who knows. hope yall are having a ride cause i am. ciao.


End file.
